ATLANTA (Ticker) -- Theo Ratliff missed a pair of crucial free
throws, setting the stage for Tyrone Corbin's game-tying
3-pointer with 0.2 seconds left and the Atlanta Hawks pulled
away in overtime for a 103-99 victory over the Philadelphia
76ers.

Steve Smith, who led Atlanta with 29 points, missed three
potential tying shots from beyond the arc before Ratliff was
able to gather what appeared to be a game-clinching rebound for
Philadelphia with 4.3 seconds to go.

However, Ratliff, a 73 percent free throw shooter, missed a pair
at the line and Corbin drained a 26-foot bank shot to send the
game into overtime. Given a reprieve by Corbin, Smith scored
six points in the extra period, including the game-clinching
free throws with 6.8 seconds left.

"It was a fortunate shot," said Corbin. "I threw it up high.
It hit the backboard and I was fortunate enough to have it go
in. It was great."

"He was an option," Atlanta coach Lenny Wilkens added. "A lot
of times when you pass the ball inbounds, everybody runs to the
ball and so we told everybody that when we pass, we want Ty to
step in. He was an option on that and he nailed it."

Allen Iverson returned to the starting lineup and scored a
team-high 24 points for the Sixers, who have lost four of their
last five games. Iverson sat out Friday's loss to Boston with a
bruised right quadricep.

"It was a game that was impossible to lose," Philadelphia coach
Larry Brown said. "Three rebounds we couldn't come down with,
we missed three free throws and they make a 3-pointer. I just
can't figure it out. But then again, young teams learn from
this situation. We will learn."

Alan Henderson scored 23 points and Mookie Blaylock and Corbin
added 13 apiece for the Hawks, who have won four straight and
nine of their last 11 games.

"The team's really coming together now," added Corbin. "We're
doing whatever it takes to win the ball game. We dug ourselves
a little hole as of late, but at least we've had the fight and
the character to come back and win."

Tyrone Hill collected 16 points and Aaron McKie added 14 for
Philadelphia, which was without injured starting point guard
Eric Snow for the second straight game.

George Lynch hit a 3-pointer to give Philadelphia an 82-79 lead
with 2:50 left in regulation. Smith answered with a pair of
free throws before McKie's layup re-established a three-point
lead for the Sixers with two minutes remaining.

Blaylock sank a 19-footer to pull Atlanta within one before
Iverson knocked down a pair from the line to make it 86-83 with
55 seconds remaining.

The teams split two games in Philadelphia during a six-day span
last month but the Hawks have won 21 of the last 26 meetings.

Henderson opened the scoring in overtime by sinking a pair of
free throws. But McKie's eight-foot jumper knotted the score at
88-88 with 4:01 remaining.

Corbin hit a 16-footer from the left sideline but Lynch made two
free throws to forge the game's final tie, 90-90, with 3:26
left.

Henderson dunked, Smith drilled a 10-footer in the lane and
assisted on Blaylock's layup as the Hawks pulled ahead for good,
96-91, with 2:17 to play.

Iverson made a pair from the stripe to pull Philadelphia within
99-97 with 24 seconds remaining, but Henderson made two of his
own with 13.5 remaining.

"The emotion runs very high," Mutombo said. "I am happy as I
can be. That is why I'm smiling after the game. I asked Ty,
`Did you call the bank?', and he said, `Yeah, I did', and that's
why he hit the bank (shot)."

"I totally put this one on my shoulders," said Grant. "I didn't
carry out my defenseive assignment. Coach told me just to watch
out for the guy who was taking the ball in. I went to help for
a second and then they threw it to Ty and he hit the shot. So
this game is on me. He should have never got the ball in the
first place."